


Rafiki

by CasanovaCanSoar



Category: Zoo (TV)
Genre: AU where jackson and his ma go to africa when jacksons still a young kid, First Kiss, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Menstruation, Neck Kissing, Trans Character, Trans Jackson Oz, also, because SUPPORTIVE OZ PARENTS, even tho his dad is kinda messed up at least he isnt a total asshole right, its okay tho he gets it v quick because Momma Dr Oz is a knowledgeable woman, theres a bit of transphobia because abe hasnt met a trans guy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-08
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-08-20 04:42:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8236483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CasanovaCanSoar/pseuds/CasanovaCanSoar
Summary: Jackson didn't know what to think of the fairly large boy standing in front of him, fiddling with his hands. He decided to try sticking his hand out and smiling.
I have a soft spot for life-long best friends falling in love, and this fulfills my thirst for adorable Abe/Jackson.





	1. The Kids Meet

**Author's Note:**

> I'm making this as happy as I can, but Abe isn't going to know everything about Jackson and his gender at first, so Jackson's gonna be a bit hurt at first, but bare with me - it'll be happy, happy, happy!
> 
> I really adore these two and their chemistry, and with so little in the fandom..... I decided to drop in my two cents.

Jackson wasn't really feeling the heat here. His mother, of course, had warned him that it would be really, really hot in Botswana, but Jackson hadn't expected it to be  _this_ hot. His shirt felt heavy and stuck to his skin like duct tape. The wheelbarrow wasn't giving him any help, either. Gardening was a difficult task. Gardening in high heat was a lot worse. He made a face as his shirt emitted a squelching noise as he tried to pry it away from his skin. He looked over to where his mother was sitting, reading the newspaper.

"Mom," he called over to her, waiting until she looked up. "Can I take my shirt off?"

He could see her hesitation and slumped his shoulders in early defeat. He tried not to flinch when she replied, "You're starting to get a little too old, honey. You can stop for the day; come and have a lemonade."

"I wish they had medication to stop puberty," he grumbled to himself. He rested the wheelbarrow in the garden, looking over the plants with disinterest. If he never had to garden again, it would be way too soon.

He picked his way up to the porch of their small home, which had all the doors and windows open to let the air move. Jackson dropped down into a chair beside his mom with a huff. Resting his head against the chair's back, he could stare at the ceiling of the covered porch, counting the lines in the wood. 

"I'm sorry, Jackson." He turned his head to look at her. "I just don't want you to get any unwanted attention."

He put on a reassuring smile. "I know, Mom."

They sat in silence for a while; Jackson resting, his mother reading. The air was heavy and it felt like a wool blanket, really warm and a bit uncomfortable. This weather didn't itch like wool, but it certainly made Jackson itch for cooler weather. It would be easier to wear layers and not have the other boys look at him funny when he wasn't allowed to take his shirts off. 

"Oh, Jackson, I forgot!" She looked over at him with a wide grin. "There's a new boy in the infirmary. He said he had a fever, but he seems fine now. Anyway, he seems a bit lonely, so why don't you clean yourself up and go introduce yourself?"

Jackson leaned back and groaned. "Do I have to?"

"Well, now you do." He grimaced, slouching in the chair. "Now, young man!"

He peeled himself off the chair and went inside to change shirts. Jackson looked down at his cargo shorts, and with the amount of grime on them, decided to change out of those too. After struggling to pull off his still-sweat-soaked shirt - he was thankful he hadn't worn jeans - he changed into a lighter shirt, but still grabbed a tight-fitting tank top for underneath. He tried to assemble his scruffy hair, but it was a no-go. A bird had actually landed on his head because it thought his hair was a nest, and that was when it was combed.

 

Mourning his case of "Untamed Hair," Jackson made his way to the infirmary building. He tried not to have any expectations for this new boy, because it was just safer not to get his hopes up. Most of the kids,  _somehow_ , heard about his father, and they laughed about him to Jackson's face. It stung, and although there weren't many good times with his father, he still loved him. Now, he was gone.

He hopped up the steps and looked around inside. There were a couple people down with some sort of cold, but his mother assured him that it wasn't anything dangerous. As he stepped through the aisle, he saw the boy sitting on the edge of the bed, reading one of Jackson's old comics. His mother stole them while he wasn't looking, and he wasn't too upset about it. They were his  _old_ comic books, after all. 

Jackson walked around to stand in front of the boy. "Hi, I'm Jackson. Dr. Oz's son?"

The boy stood up, and Jackson almost had to crane his neck to meet his eyes. He was very tall. He noticed the boy was wringing his hands, pinching the insides of his fingers. Jackson sniffled before sticking out his hand. "Nice to meet you."

The boy very gently took his hand - it was most likely the most gentle handshake Jackson had ever gotten in his life. "My name is.... Abraham."

"Abraham?" The boy, Abraham, nodded. Jackson smiled. "Cool. I like it."

Then, the hesitant silence descended, where both boys had no idea what to do next. Jackson shifted from foot to foot before blurting out, "You have a cool accent."

Abraham looked shocked for a moment, before giving a hearty laugh. "Your accent is interesting, as well. Where are you from?"

With all the proudness a born-Bostonian could muster, Jackson replied, "Boston, Massachusetts."

"Sounds like an interesting place," he hummed. He looked down at Jackson, tilting his head. Jackson felt nervous for a moment, but Abraham just smiled. "Do you have any more of these comic books?"

If Jackson sighed in relief, he made sure it was silent. "Yeah, I do! I have most of the series. We can read them in my room."

With their plans decided, both boys ran off to read comics, getting lost in the pictures and poses of their superheroes. 

 

Dr. Oz made her way into Jackson's room to turn off his light, and she smiled softly at the sight of Abraham and her son sprawled on the floor covered in comic books. They were both snoring softly. She had to hide a laugh behind her hand as she clicked the light off. 

She hoped that they would stay friends. Abraham seemed like a kind boy.


	2. The Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jackson felt a searing pain in his abdomen the entire day. He thought he could make it, he really did. He was so wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sounds so ominous lol. But this is Jackson coming out to Abe in a not-so-fun way. I'm so sorry Jackson but I'm projecting on u so hard my dude. If my cramps make me pass out, so do yours.
> 
>  
> 
> Menstruation tw kiddos stay safe

Jackson hated, absolutely  _loathed_ , his period. It was the worst thing ever, in his opinion. Having to lick fungus off of a foot sounded more pleasant than the throbbing ache in his uterus. He had menstruated before, and his mom helped him through it. She gave him a look that said, "Welcome to Hell, Son," and showed him how to use pads. He finally made his way up to tampons, so now he could actually  _do_ things, rather than sit inside the house and keep changing the stupid pads because he was too afraid the blood would get everywhere.

He popped some ibuprofen that morning, but it wasn't working. Why wasn't it working? It had been two hours, and nothing. He was trying to laugh at Abe's jokes, but he couldn't hide the slight grimace, since laughing plus moving of chest and abdomen plus painful cramps equaled more pain, believe it or not. When he started cold-sweating, maybe he should've tossed an excuse out there, like "indigestion," or "the flu," but Jackson was nothing if not a bull-headed believer in the "ignore it and it will go away" mentality. 

So here he was, internally dying, on his porch with his friend. Abe was looking at him with concern. "Are you alright?"

"Uh," was all Jackson could say. He tried to nod, but it made his head swim and his vision greyed-out for a few seconds. 

"What did you do to yourself?" Abe was trying to steady him, hands on his shoulders. "I'm going to get your mother."

"She knows," his voice came out about as foggy and weak as his body felt. "It's okay, just help me get to my bed?"

Abe nodded and helped Jackson to his feet. Jackson felt the ground shift underneath him, his vision went grey, and his legs buckled. He was still conscious, which was good. He could not feel his body, which was probably not-as-good. He could hear Abe muttering about getting Dr. Oz, which, also, not good.

"Abe," Jackson's voice was a weak breath of air now, the pain of breathing resulting in small hyperventilations. "I'm okay."

"Like hell you are okay!" Abe practically shouted at him. "I'm carrying you to bed, and then getting your mother."

He picked up Jackson, who was pretty impressed that he could be carried bridal style. It was a bit unbalanced, and Jackson was pretty sure he almost died once, but they made it into the bedroom, where he was unceremoniously dropped onto his unmade bed.

"Fuck!" He swore as his uterus erupted in pain. He curled onto his side and whimpered, trying to ease the pain as much as he could.

"Jackson! I'm sorry! What hurts?" He felt Abe's hands turning him over onto his back, feeling up and down his sides. Before he could stop him, one of Abe's hands slid onto Jackson's chest. 

He closed his eyes as he felt Abe pause. Here it comes, the Big Reveal, when he was practically unconscious and feeling like he was actually dying. 

"W-what?" He felt Abe finger the hem of his shirt, and with what felt like his last bit of strength, Jackson pulled up his shirt himself.

"I'm on my fucking period, and I'm still a boy. If it bothers you, get the hell out." He gritted his teeth, waiting for Abe to run out and tell everyone that Jackson Oz was a bigger weirdo than his father. He felt Abe pull his shirt back down.

"I do not... understand, but you are hurting right now, so I will stay." Abe sat down on the edge of the bed, more hesitant than he had ever been with Jackson before. "What do you need?"

"A hot water bottle, and more ibuprofen. They should be in the cabinet in the kitchen." Abe stood up and was about to walk out of the room, when Jackson grabbed his wrist. "I'm sorry."

Abe looked down at him, a soft quirk of his lips appearing on his face. "Don't be sorry, Jackson. I'll get you those things, and I'm telling your mother you almost passed out."

 

The next morning, Jackson hobbled out to the porch, finding Abe reading another comic book. He hadn't felt this relieved since, well, he can't really remember. He sits in the chair next to Abe.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Abe's face was schooled into a neutral expression, but Jackson could see the smile threatening to break out.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up that I passed out in your arms, why don't you." He crossed his arms, snorting a laugh.

"I never knew a boy could have a period. You made it sound so dramatic." Abe laughed. 

"Well, some boys do." Jackson looked at Abe seriously. "It feels like hell, Abe. You have no idea."

"I guess that means I'm lucky. I'm a boy who doesn't bleed once a month." He shoved Jackson's shoulder playfully. In retaliation, Jackson stuck out his tongue.

"Yes, you are lucky. Just... uh, try not to bring it up to anyone, okay?"

"Of course." He nodded with utmost seriousness. "We're friends, we keep each other's secrets."

Jackson looked down at his lap and smiled. They were friends. "Yeah, Abe. We are."

 


End file.
